1. Field
The following invention disclosure is generally concerned with navigation apparatus and methods; it is specifically concerned with devices and methods for presenting mapping information in relation to a reference pointing direction while changing access to computer functionality in response to selections made by a user.
2. Prior Art
Co-pending applications having Ser. Nos.: 09/110,572 and 09/163,746, and application Ser. No. 09/384,469, filed Aug. 27, 1999 having a title xe2x80x9cApparatus and Methods for the Remote Address of Objectsxe2x80x9d, are applications which relate to the present invention. Those disclosures in their entirety are incorporated herein by reference.
With reference to FIG. 10 of the 09/110,572 application, one will appreciate how a person using devices of that invention can point to and address objects of interest. However, the display does not provide for changes to access of a computer""s functionality in response to selections being made.
While the systems and inventions of the art are designed to achieve particular goals and objectives, some of those being no less than remarkable, these inventions have limitations which prevent their use in new ways now possible. These prior art inventions are not used and cannot be used to realize the advantages and objectives of the present invention.
Comes now, John Ellenby, Peter Ellenby, Thomas Ellenby and Joseph Page with an invention of pointing and addressing devices having a special map interface and dynamic graphical user interfaces responsive to changes in the types of objects being addressed and selected.
Handheld computers come in many forms and may be used for a great plurality of functions. For example, a wireless telephone may serve as a computerized calendar and address book. Although a wireless telephone is not traditionally considered a computer, for purposes of this disclosure any device which contains computing or logic processing type facility is a xe2x80x98computerxe2x80x99. Thus a wireless telephone with digital processing is said to be a computer.
In the computer arts, a system is generally comprised of a plurality of functions which may be selectively activated by a user. A user tends to engage various computer functions from time-to-time depending upon a user""s needs for particular information. Sometimes certain functions relate to a particular event and are automatically made available to a user whenever the event occurs. For example, on receipt of an incoming telephone call, a wireless telephone may offer functionality in the form of a xe2x80x9ccaller IDxe2x80x9d function, a messaging function, and a forwarding function. The xe2x80x98eventxe2x80x99 being receipt of a call, the functions offered being those which relate to receiving calls. The event (the receipt of the call) triggers the computer to offer the user access to these functions.
Similarly, systems of the invention offer access to various computer functions in accordance with particular events which occur from time-to-time. In particular, when a user addresses certain objects known to the computer, the computer responds by offering functions which relate to the object being addressed. Addressed objects may include a particular object such as 3Com Park baseball stadium in San Francisco, Calif. , or a particular type of object such as a restaurant. The computer detects when the system is addressing a certain object or object type via positioning and pointing actions and a search of information in a database. In response to positioning and pointing actions taken by a user, the computer provides a graphical user interface, for example an interface in the form of a toolbar of icons. The functions offered on the toolbar relate to the particular object(s) being addressed.
Methods of the invention
Methods of the invention start with a step where position and attitude are measured. Position and attitude information is conveyed to a computer processor. In view of the position and attitude measured, a map image local to the position is formed from stored map data. A user interface in the form of an image display is used to present the map image arranged to agree with position and attitude measurements. An icon, herein called a xe2x80x98present state iconxe2x80x99, is presented in superposition with the map image to indicate the location of a point reference and the pointing direction of a directional reference to show a spatial relationship between the user(device) and the map. In addition, a comparison is made with data stored in a database to determine various data elements corresponding to objects which meet certain matching criteria. In response, information relating to objects may be presented at a user interface with the map image and present state icons. Further, a graphical interface device such as a xe2x80x98toolbarxe2x80x99 which provides access to a computer""s various user functions is provided in response to objects or object types being addressed and/or selected.
Devices of the invention
Devices of the invention are arranged with directional and point references which may be envisaged as a pointing vector having one endpoint and infinite extent in any direction along a line. Means for determining the position of the point reference is included. Means for determining the pointing direction or attitude of the directional reference is also provided. A computer with a database of stored information is coupled to position and attitude determining means. Stored information includes map image data, data relating to certain objects, and general computer instructions or code. The computer has programming including a plurality of functions, some of which may be divided into groups of related functions, and those functions or groups of functions may be associated with certain objects or types of objects. In addition, a device computer is programmed to offer access to these computer functions via graphical user interfaces known as toolbars and drop-down menus. Finally, a display device is in communication with the computer.
Objectives of the Invention
It is a primary object of the invention to provide for remote addressing of objects.
It is an object of the invention to provide systems for addressing objects from remote locations via pointing towards the object.
It is a further object to provide apparatus and methods for interaction with objects via pointing actions taken by a user.
It is a further object of to provide means for interacting with objects via pointing actions including access to a computer""s functions or function sets.
A better understanding can be had with reference to the detailed description of preferred embodiments and with reference to the appended drawings. These embodiments represent particular ways to realize the invention and are not inclusive of all ways possible. Therefore, there may exist embodiments that do not deviate from the spirit and scope of this disclosure as set forth by the claims, but do not appear here as specific examples. It will be appreciated that a great plurality of alternative versions are possible.